1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of invention relate to a hard disk drive and a computer having the same. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to a hard disk drive having a reduced minimum thickness profile, yet simultaneously providing enhanced coupling strength between a receptacle in a computer and a corresponding plug for the hard disk drive
This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 from Korean Patent Application No. 10-2005-0131538, filed on 28 Dec. 2005, the subject matter of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
2. Description of Related Art
Hard disk drives (HDDs) are formed from electrical and mechanical components, and serve as bulk memory storage devices in a variety of consumer products, such as computers. HDDs are able to record a large volume of data by converting digital data signals into a corresponding magnetic field and impressing the magnetic field upon a recording medium. Data is reproduced by reversing the process, i.e., reading the magnetic field and generating corresponding digital data signals. Data is written on the magnetic medium in tracks. The density of the recorded data is expressed in terms of tracks per inch (TPI) and/or bits per inch (BPI). Recent improvements in HDD technology have increased TPI and BPI densities (e.g., achieved higher data storage capacity per unit volume), and thereby opened up new fields of HDD application. Some emerging HDDs have a diameter of 0.85 inches, about the size a coin, and are being identified for use in next generation mobile phones.
Since HDDs can access a large amount of data at high speed, they are widely used as an auxiliary memory device in computers, including notebook computers, PDAs, and desktop computers. When an HDD is used as a peripheral device within a computer, it is usually connected to a main printed circuit board (PCB) on which a CPU and memory are mounted. Connection of the HDD with the main PCB is commonly made using a serial ATA (SATA) interface. Since the SATA interface exhibits a higher transfer rate and greater stability than existing IDE and enhanced IDE (EIDE) interfaces, wide spread adoption of the SATA interface is expected.
FIG. (FIG.) 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional HDD showing a HDD plug adapted to connection with a computer receptacle. Referring to FIG. 1, a plug 170 provided on an HDD 120 may be coupled to a receptacle 115 provided on a computer. (The remainder of the computer other than receptacle 115 is omitted from the figure for the sake of clarity). Although it will be described later, plug 170 may be coupled to one side of a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) 160 integral to HDD 120. Plug 170 is commonly manufactured from a plastic material and fixed to PCBA 160. The particular form of receptacle 115 shown in FIG. 1 is common to notebook computers but other forms are possible. For example, a common receptacle form used in desktop computers has a different shape and will be described later.
In the conventional technology having the structure shown in FIG. 1, however, since an upper area of plug 170 is open and an additional elastic support member is not provided between plug 170 and receptacle 115, the coupling strength between receptacle 115 and plug 170 is weak. Thus, when HDD 120 is coupled into a computer, plug 170 and receptacle 115 may become easily separated by, for example, mechanical vibration or an external impact applied to the computer or HDD 120 during assembly and/or disassembly. The reliability and stability of the resulting consumer product is correspondingly reduced.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating another conventional HDD plug and corresponding computer receptacle. The approach illustrated in FIG. 2 is intended to address the problem identified above with respect to the connection components illustrated in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 2, in a compact HDD 120a, a support protrusion 115a is additionally provided on receptacle 115. A matching recess is formed in relation to support protrusion 115a in the lower surface of a reinforced portion 170a which shields an upper area of plug 170. Consistent with this approach, support protrusion 115a may be additionally coupled within the recess as receptacle 115 is coupled with plug 170. The additional coupling strength between receptacle 115 and plug 170 is thus enhanced over that of the approach illustrated in FIG. 1.
In the conventional approach illustrated in FIG. 2, however, the reinforced portion 170a necessarily requires the formation of the recess in plug 170. This recess space increases the overall volume of plug 170, and is a design impediment to further effort to reduce thickness profile of compact HDD 120a. That is, in order for the recess to function properly, the thickness of the plastic reinforced portion 170a must be increased. This requirement negatively impacts efforts to reduce the minimum thickness of plug 170, and compact HDD 120a. 